Automatic overflow device for refrigerators, &amp; c.



No. 674,830. Patented may 2|, lem. c. w. GRANT.

AUTOMATIC OVEBFLOW DEVICE FOR HEFRIGERATORS, &c

(Application filed Aug. 14,1900.) (No Model.)

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Partnr CHARLES lV. GRANT, OF JAMESTOWN, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GRANTSPECIALTY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC OVERFLOW DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATORS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,830, dated May 21,1901.

Application led August 14, 1900. Serial No. 26,829. (No model.)

To all when@ t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. GRANT, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticOverflow Devices for Refrigerators, dac., of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a device for preventing the overflow of thedrip-pans which catch the drippings from refrigerators, washstands, andsimilar devices which are not connected with a drain to carry off thedrippings or waste water.

The object of my invention is to provide an overflow device for thispurpose which is simple and inexpensive in construction and reliable inoperation and which will hold the drip-pipe closed while the drip-pan isbeing removed and emptied, thereby preventing wetting of the parts belowthe drip-pipe.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical longitudinal sectionof a refrigerator provided with my improved overflow device. Fig. 2 is afragmentary front elevation of the same, showing the indicator whichindicates when the drip-pan has been filled; Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryvertical cross-section of the' refrigerator and the overflow device inline 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4f is a horizontal section in line a 4, Fig. l,looking downward. Fig. 5A

is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, in line 5 5,Fig."4, showing the catch whereby the support of the drip-pan is held inposition to close the valve in the refrigerator.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a refrigerator of any suitable construction and containingthe usual compartments for ice and victuals. The refrigerator issupported upon a base or frame ot, which forms a drip chamber or spacebetween the bottom of the refrigerator and the floor which receives thedrip-pan B and the overiiow device.

C represents a drip-pipe which extends downwardly from the bottom of therefrigerator and which is provided with a valve D, having a rotary plugd, whereby the drippipe may be opened and closed.

E represents a rocking platform which is arranged in the lower part ofthe drip-chamber and which is pivoted near its middle, so that it canoscillate in a vertical plane. The pivot of the platform shown in thedrawings consists of a pivot-rod c, arranged transversely below theplatform and secured at its ends to the side walls of the drip-chamber,and saddles or sockets c, secured to the under side of the platform andengaging over the pivot-rod. The rocking movement of the platform islimited by its ends striking the floor upon which the refrigeratorstands or by other means. The platform is connected with the plug of thedrip-valve, so that upon rocking the platform in one direction or theother the plug of the Valve will be turned, so as to open 0r close thedrip-valve. The preferred means which are employed for transmitting themovement of the platform to the valve-plug and which are shown in thedrawings consist of a horizontal shaft, drum, or roller G, connectedwith the valveplug, and operating cords or chains g g', connecting saidroller with opposite ends of the platform. The roller G is arrangedaxially in line with the plug of the drip-valve and is connectedtherewith by engaging the iiatsided handle h of the valve with atransverse slot h' in the inner end of the roller, While the outer endof the roller is journaled in the adjacent side wall of thedrip-chamber. The operating-cords g g are wound with their upper ends inopposite directions around the valve-roller G, and the intermediateparts of the cords pass around guide wheels or rollers t' t', arrangedon the bottom of the refrigerator. Upon depressing the rear part of theplatform the rear cord g is drawn down and unwound from the valve-rollerG, thereby causing the plug of the valve to be turned in the properdirection for opening the same. Upon depressing the front end of theplatform the front operating-cord g is drawn down and unwound from thevalve-roller, thereby causing the valve-roller G to turn in the oppositedirection and closing the dripvalve. When one of the cords unwinds fromthe valve-roller, the other winds up on the roller, and vice versa,thereby causing the valve to be opened and closed positively.

IOO

J represents a movable tray or shelf by which the drip-pan B is movablysupported on the platform. This tray rests with its front end upon thefront end of the platform, while its rear end is provided with atransverse supporting-roller k, which rests upon the rear end of theplatform. of the tray is provided with casters or rollers L', whichproject downwardly over the front end of the platform and are raisedfrom the floor when the front end of the platform and tray are raised.The tray is capable of sliding in and out upon the platform through anopening Z in the front of the base d and is guided during this movementby two cleats or guide-bars m m, arranged lengthwise on the platform onopposite sides of the tray. The inward movement of the tray on theplatform may be limited by a stop of any suitable kind, the stop forthis purposefshown in the drawings consisting of the supports Z2, bywhich the casters Z are connected with the tray and which are adapted toengage with the front end of the platform. The outward movement of thetray on the platform is limited by a cross-bar N, secured to the rearpart of the tray and provided at its ends with stops 'n fn, which areadapted to engage with stops 'n' n on the front ends of the guide-barswhen the tray is in its foremost position, thereby preventing the trayfrom becoming disengaged from the platform.

O represents an annular retaining frame, seat, or socket whereby thedrip-pan B is held in its proper position on the tray. This socket issecured at intervals to the upper side of the tray by supportingblockso', which form spaces between the under side of the socket and the upperside of the tray, through which any water dropping upon the tray withinthe socket by accidentally spilling the drip-pan may escape therefrom.

P represents a spring-catch which is mou ntdepressed and hold the samein this position until released by hand.,

Preparatory to placing the drip-pan under the drip-pipe the trayispulled out, and after the drip-pan has been placed in the socket'thereof the tray is pushed inwardly until its caster-supports strike thefront edge of the platform. In this position of the parts the drip-panis arranged with its center slightly in front of the drip-pipe and thepivot of the j platform. When the drip-pan is empty and t in itsinnermost position on the platform, the weight of the partsI is sodistributed that the Weight on the inner side of the platform-pivotpreponderates, which causes the inner ends The front end @msec thelatter. Owing to the slight rearward inclination of the drip-pan whenempty, together with its support, the water first accumulates in therear or inner part of the pan, thereby adding to the weight which keepsthe rear end of the platform and the parts mounted thereon depressed. Asthe water continues to rise in the drip-pan the greater part of the sameaccumulates in front of the pivot of the platform. When the water hasrisen in the drip-pan sufficiently high to cause the weight of the waterand other parts in front of the platform-pivot to overbalance the weightof the water and other parts in rear of the platform-pivot, then thefront end of the platform is depressed until its casters or frontsupporting-wheels strike the iioor. As the front end of the platform isdepressed the plug of the drip-'valve is turned so as to close thedrip-pipe. After the front end of the platform has been depressed, thetray, with the drip-pan mounted thereon, is pulled forwardly and the panis removed for emptying the same. The capacity of the pan and itsposition on the platform while being filled are so determined that thefront end of the platform is depressed before the water reaches the topof the pan, thereby permitting the drip-pan to be readily removedwithout spilling the same. When the front end of the platform has beenfully depressed by the overbalancing-weight of the water in the pan, thecatch P on the platform passes below the shoulderp on the base and isprojected by its spring into engagement with this shoulder, therebyholding the front part of the platform in a depressed position againstthe lifting tendency of the rear part of the platform, whereby thedrip-valve is held closed while the pan is being emptied and the wateris pre- Vented from dripping from the drip-pipe upon the platform andflooding the same. After the empty pan has been replaced in its seat edon the front end of the platform and which is adapted to engage with ashoulderp on the base when the front end of the platform is` on the traythe latter is pushed inwardly to its innermost position, and then thecatch I is withdrawn from the shoulderp, thereby permitting the frontend of the platform to i rise and causing the drip-valve to open, ywhereby the parts are again in position for conducting the drippingsfrom the refrigerator to the drip-pan.

As the tray is moved inwardly and outwardly on the platform the same issupported by means of the rollers at its front and rear ends running onthe floor and the platform, respectively.

ln order to enable the attendant to determine whether the drip-pan isfull or not, the refrigerator is provided with an indicator, which isoperated by the movement of the i platform and which is constructed asfollows: of the platform, tray, and drip-pan to be de- Apressed untilthe platform strikes the floor, thereby causing the drip-valve to beopened. The water resulting from the melting ice in the refrigerator nowpasses through the dripl pipe into the drip-pan and accumulates in Qrepresents the inclosing case of the indicator, which is mounted in thefront side of the refrigerator and which is provided with an aperture g.

Vq is an indicator-plate which slides vertically in the casein rear ofthe aperture there- IOO IXO

in and which may be provided on its front side with the word Full, asshown by dotted lines, Fig. 2.

q2 represents a spring which connects the upper end of theindicator-plate with the casing and holds the same yieldingly in anelevated position.

g3 represents a cord or chain which connects the lower end of theindicator-plate with the front end of the platform and which extendsthrough a vertical opening g4 in the refrigerator, extending from theindicator-casing to the drip-chamber. When the front end of the platformis raised, the spring q2 is permitted to raise the indicator-plate sothat the word Full is arranged above the aperture in theindicator-caseand is not visible. When the front end of the platform is depressed, theindicator-plate is pulled down, so that the word Full thereon is exposedthrough the aperture in the indicator case. By this means the attendantcan determine by an external inspection of the refrigerator when thedrip-pan requires to be emptied.

Although I have shown my improved overflow device in connection with thedrip-pipe of a refrigerator, it is obvious that the same is applicableto other purposes in which similar conditions exist. For instance, thesame maybe used in connection with the wastepipe of a wash stand orbasin to prevent the waste water from overflowing the waste-water pailor pan.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a drip or waste valveprovided with a rotary plug, of a drum or shaft connected with saidplug, a rocking platform which supports a drip or waste pan below saidvalve and which is tilted by the weight of the water delivered into thepan, and a connecting means between the rocking platform and said drumor shaft whereby the valve is opened and closed by the rocking movementof the platform, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a drip or waste valve provided with a rotaryplug, of a drum connected with said plug, a rocking platform whichsupports a drip or waste pan b'elow said valve and which is tilted bythe weight of the water delivered into the pan, and a cord connectingthe platform with said drum, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a drip or waste valve provided with a rotaryplug, of a drum connected with said plug, a rocking platform whichsupports a drip or waste pan below said valve and which is tilted by theweight of the water delivered into the pan, and two cords which arewound in opposite directions around said drum and which are connectedwhich supports a drip or waste pan below' 5. The combination .with adrip or waste valve, of a vertically-movable platform which is adaptedto support a drip or waste pan below said valve so that the drip orwaste water from said valve will be delivered into said pan and depressthe platform, connecting means which connect said platform with saidvalve and whereby the valve is closed when the platform is depressed,and a catch which is adapted to hold the platform in its depressedposition, thereby holding the valve in its closed position andpreventing the escape of drip or waste water while said pan is beingemptied, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a drip or waste valve provided with a rotaryplug, of a drum connected with said plug, a rocking platform which isadapted to support a drip or waste pan and which has its front enddepressed by the weight of the water delivered into said pan from saidvalve, a cord which connects the front end of the platform with saiddrum and whereby the valve is closed when the front end of the platformis depressed, and a spring-catch which is mounted on the front end oftheplatform and which is adapted to engage with a stationary shoulderfor holding the front end of the platform in a depressed position,substantially asset forth.

7. The combination with a drip or waste valve, of a vertically-movableplatform arranged below said valve, connecting means which connect thevalve with the platform so that the downward movement of the platformcloses the valve while the upward movement of the platform opens thevalve, a tray which is guided on said platform so as to be capable ofmoving backwardly underneath said valve or forwardly from underneath thesame, and a drip or waste pan adapted to be supported by said trayunderneath said valve and to be withdrawn from underneath said valve bythe forward movement of the tray, thereby enabling the pan to be emptiedconveniently, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a drip or waste valve, of a rocking platformarranged below said valve and connected therewith so that the valve isopened and closed by the movement of the platform, a traysupporting adrip or waste pan below the valve and having a roller at its rear endwhich rests on the platform and rollers at its front end which areadapted to rest on the oor in front of the platform, substantially asset forth.

9. The combination with a drip or waste valve, of a rocking platformarranged below said valve and connected therewith so that the valve isopened and closed by the movement of the platform, a tray supported onthe IOO IIO

platform, and a seat or frame which is supsaid plate is moved in onedirection,v and a ported at intervals on the platform so as toconnection between said plate and the platform spaces between the seatand lthe platform whereby the movement of the latter l5 form and whichis adapted to receive a drip shifts said plate in the oppositedirection, 5 or Waste pan, substantially as set forth. substantially asset forth.

10. The combination with a drip or Waste Witness my hand this 10th dayof August valve, of a vertically-movable platform which 1900.

supports a drip or Waste pan below said valve and which is connectedWith said Valve for CHARLES W' GRANT lo opening or closing the same, avertically- Witnesses:

movable indicator-plate arranged in a cas- S. J. GILES,

ing having an aperture, a spring whereby B. D. PHILLIPS.

